Josef in Zürich

Amazing place! The dishes were really good and their bread was delicious! We had 6 dishes for 2 with bread and we were satisfied. Delicious drinks too!

Very good, very welcoming place to have a drink after a concert, I had a cocktail without aloccol which was really excellent. I'd recommend it.

Food is really TOP - but you have to be clear - it is wonderfully cooked and presented, but YES, portions are small and relatively expensive, but it's worth it. Service was really great. I think the ambience doesn't fit at all - it's a small restaurant with a bar and was incredibly cramped and full. I would like a different atmosphere for the food - but I think there are a lot of people who love it just as much.

As always great. Delicious food, good service in a relaxed atmosphere. Also good drinks and wine selection.

CAFE NO RESTURANTE ERROR GOOGEL. Great Italian pastries. Prices OK for what you get and very good espresso

The food wasn't bad, but it was too expensive for what was offered. I'd rather go to the Neue Taverne, where you can get a fantastic 7-course menu for 100 francs.

4,5/5. We were 6 people for dinner. The atmosphere is cosy with very good music (to my taste). The waitress was friendly. The food is to share. The balance in the seasonings and tastes were good on all dishes. It’s expensive for sure but it’s Zurich. Highly recommended.

We finally had dinner at the well-known Josef about 3 months ago. And were very disappointed. We often eat out in Zurich and also live here. Unfortunately, eating in two shifts is now common practice in some restaurants in ZH. As a Swiss, I love to sit, have a few drinks and let the evening fade away. The atmosphere is urban, which I like. However, it is very loud and since you are in different hallways, there is a hustle and bustle and you can hardly hear each other across the table. The portions are so small, you have to measure them. They would be good, but far too few and massively too expensive! The staff is unfriendly. For me/us it is by far the worst restaurant in Zurich!

The Josef (Joy Of Serving Exiting Food) impresses with its trendy, modern European cuisine. The size of the portions are comparable to tapas. This is true for me because I love trying a lot of different things and I tend to be put off by an overfilled plate. I tried the confit Bremgarter trout (a fish farm where I also get the fresh fish myself), the grilled Miéral duck breast and the glazed gitzigigot. All three dishes were beautifully presented on the plate and I enjoyed them. The service is very good, fast, provides competent information and is very friendly What was a bit annoying for me was that the tables were very tightly packed and the noise level was high. I will definitely eat at Josef again, but probably during the week and not on Saturday evening. By the way, it's worth making a reservation, otherwise you probably won't get a table.

A wonderful little restaurant / bar in Zurich with an intimate atmosphere, well curated menu and attentive staff. 10/10 would recommend

Love this restaurant, it had a really warm atmosphere and the kitchen is excellent.

Definitely one of my best place to eat out in Zurich ! The ambiance you can only find in bigger cities such as Paris, London, New York. It’s rock&roll and easy going vibe mixed with a very attentive service and a very elaborate, fresh and seasonal food menu for an absolute fair price considering it is located in Zurich. Highly recommended ! I’ll be back very soon.

The food was good, but not extraordinary. However, the portions were extremely small in relationship to the price. The service was friendly. In terms of atmosphere, for me it was a bit too loud and I didn’t like the decoration very much, but that’s just my personal taste.

Haven't been there for a long time, but always like to come back. Good food and good service.

The food is very finely cooked and beautifully presented, but first you have to find it on the plate. You pay around Fr. 25 for a fried mini eggplant ball at Josef, while otherwise it is served to the guest for free as a greeting from the kitchen. Not to forget that the bread costs Fr. 8 and water from the jug costs Fr. 9 - a disgrace. The service was even cheekier: after 1.5 hours the bill was placed on our table in order to rip off the next guests. It's a shame... We definitely won't be coming back.

Great atmosphere, but the food is far too expensive for the measly portions. Not only has it become more expensive, but it has also lost some of its taste. It used to be my favorite restaurant, but this time I was a bit disappointed.

Really nice decor and ambiance. Friendly & professional service. Although food is very good and you get a wide choice of dishes, a little overpriced for the portion you receive. Overall good experience at Josef.

The food is excellent and exceptional, although overpriced. If you don't opt ​​for the multi-course menu, you can put together the meal from several small plates. When it comes to meat, unfortunately only game is on the menu at the moment (October). However, there is a good selection of wine. The space is a bit tight.

Culinary top (even if a bit too expensive). Space conditions are very tight.

Mega delicious food, great drinks and wines!

The food was fantastic, from the bread to the menu. I know Lukas from his school days and am very impressed by his development. Especially when you find out what's behind it, you can absolutely understand the prices. The service was also great, very friendly and competent. Personally, I only see the volume as a small negative point, as I would prefer to enjoy this form of food with a little more peace and quiet.

From the moment I entered Josef Restaurant, I was treated to an unparalleled experience. A delightful fusion of sophisticated sophistication and inviting coziness creates the ideal environment for an unforgettable dining experience. The menu represents a pinnacle of culinary prowess, as every dish presents a novel and inventive interpretation of traditional fare. The flavors are robust, well-balanced, and unforgettable; each bite is a journey for the palate. The service is outstanding. By mastering the art of attentiveness without being intrusive, the staff at Josef guarantees that each diner feels like the most significant individual in the room. Their profound expertise regarding the menu enables them to provide astute suggestions that accommodate every dietary inclination and need. To cap it all off, Josef's meticulously curated and extensive wine and cocktail list guarantees the ideal complement to any dish. Every successive sip amplifies the harmonious composition of flavors that unfolds on the gustatory organs. Amidst an extensive array of dining establishments, Josef Restaurant emerges as an epitome of culinary excellence. It is an extrasensory celebration, not merely a meal. Exceptionally recommended for diners in search of an elevated experience!

The quality of the food was impressive, with a fascinating range of flavors and culinary creations. The small plates concept allowed me to try different dishes and enjoy the diversity of the cuisine. The atmosphere was pleasant and inviting, and the service was friendly and attentive. The restaurant offered a diverse and welcoming environment in which guests of all ages and styles could feel comfortable. Overall, my visit to this restaurant was an unforgettable experience. From the quality of the food to the hospitable atmosphere, everything was fantastic. I highly recommend it.

If you're hungry - which is what a restaurant is for - you shouldn't come here under any circumstances. The portions are ridiculously tiny and the prices are way too high considering the quantity (although the quality was good to very good). The fact that you are offered unlimited bread for a few francs is an admission that the concept of measly portions does not fit. The ambience is too loud. Suitable for a bar, not good for a restaurant in this price range. If you have any sense, you won't go here again for this money.

Highly recommended for anyone who wants to eat something special but doesn't want to go to a golden star palace! The food is extremely creative and very good. Prices are therefore above average, but reasonable. My personal favorite restaurant in Zurich.

One of my favorite restaurants in Zurich, varied menu, fresh and seasonal food, great presentation and correspondingly high quality of service... but the enjoyment comes at a price.

Fresh, delicious and inventive dishes; kind staff; and a fun, lively location. Super recommend Josef!

Main courses were sensational, the portions are small and you can/should try several. The service was also very good! As an allergy sufferer, I would definitely ask beforehand, as certain things like nuts are not on the menu. Unfortunately the dessert wasn't very special...

In the evening you can't order a menu per see but you order 3-6 plates from a tasty Mediterranean selection. They have a great wine list and the bar serves you any kind of drinks. This place is highly recommended so you should make a reservation.

Cool bar with exceptional food! The dried Tomato was something to remember!

Excellent food. Portions are microscopic. Atmosphere is more like a bar. Loud and dark. Service not up to par. For less than 120 CHF (excluding drinks) per person, you'll go home hungry. That's probably why the (fantastic) bread is brought to the tables by the kilo.

I will never understand why people are upset about prices or the size of dishes at restaurants like this. Josef is super transparent in what they do and what you can expect: either order 3-4 dishes or take the menu and you’ll be satisfied and happy. And yes it costs 100 chf cause the produce is local, fresh, excellent. The wine list is well written, interesting, fairly priced. The staff is genuinely friendly and knowledgeable and will make sure you have a good time, even when the place is full and they are operating at full speed! Can’t wait to be back in Fall and Winter and see what they put on the menu!

Unfortunately our expectations were not met. Simple and simple furnishings, the service staff was a bit uncoordinated (three waiters came to the table within 2-3 minutes and we had to tell everyone that we still needed some time). The food was mixed, some dishes were good, others were just okay. The price for the small portions & the quality is definitely too high. One of the three points (price/quantity/quality) really needs to be adjusted here. The third wine (red wine) that we ordered simply never came - after 25 minutes of waiting, we asked for the bill because we simply lost our desire. (The wine wasn't on the bill after all) A richer experience, but I can't recommend the whole thing.

We were disappointed. The price-performance ratio is lousy, small portions for quite expensive prices. The service was okay. We left the restaurant hungry, which is a bad sign.

We all know that Zurich is an expensive city, the "Josef Menu" didn't met my expectations, all good but nothing so "wow" that i'll remember forever. The waitress Is really kind and always smiling and the place is particular. I recomande It, but maybe for the singular dishes.

Great food and very nice service

The food was good and the products are of quality, however the portions are really way to small compare to the price. On an average the plates are 22chf and they recommend 4plates per person.

I really like this place. It's local to me, which is even better. Great for a late night (relatively) cocktail or snack. The menu can appear somewhat odd, but the food is very well prepared. Difficult to know how to describe the menu, but I guess "Fusion" will have to do. Must-visit place in this part of town.

Super friendly, lovely service. The food was excellent as always. We'd love to come back.

Sophisticated menu, very tasty food, funny and nice staff, good sound. We'd love to come back 😊

Amazing food! Michelin food level experience in a super cool and casual atmosphere (don't be afraid to ask for changing cutlery if you feel like it). Crazy creativity and elegance mixed with balance. You can hardly find better food experience for the price wherever on earth ... Believe me 🙏🏻 If you have taste, Go There!

Not up to the expectations. Expensive confusing food no good taste and composition. Very slow service. One of us even got sick after 2 hours still waiting for the results from the lab.

This is a very nice concept bar. The only thing off is the price as it is very expensive. Having said this I would visit the place again

the best BEST restaurant in the neighborhood

A beautiful location and wonderful cuisine - plus a bar that serves exceptionally good cocktails. After every visit we always ask ourselves why we don't do this more often. So you will see us again soon!

Dishes are rather hit-or-miss: some delicious, some interesting, some mediocre, some downright disappointing. All of them are tiny. You need a big wallet and a tiny stomach.

Good food in a fun place with a good atmosphere

The food was excellent, but whoa is it expensive (and I mean that by Zurich standards)! The portions are tiny so you will absolutely need 3-4 plates per person (but possibly more if you don't want to feel hungry), which is pretty extreme at CHF 20+ per plate. As long as you go in with your eyes wide open expecting to spend at least CHF 100 per person (or leaving hungry), you should have a good culinary experience.

I lived directly in the house next door for many years and was there very regularly back then. Now, after moving a few years ago, we had another great evening at Josef despite the different chef. No change to the usual cozy atmosphere, but still modern and contemporary. Still very, very busy... without a reservation there is almost no chance of getting a table for dinner (unfortunately) and despite the shop being full, very friendly and committed service. The kitchen can only be praised. Very nicely put together menu that everyone should find what they are looking for, very good quality in preparation, products and presentation. It's just fun and overall very well rounded. If there was anything to complain about for noise-sensitive guests, it might be the ambient noise, although that is due to the popularity of the restaurant. We love coming back again and again. And in summer there is a cozy outdoor seating area.

Excellent food, a bit too loud for my taste.

Very arrogant on the phone, as I just wanted to make a reservation!

5 stars for the quality of the food, it was excellent. 1 star for the portions, which were absolutely puny for the price. If you pay almost 100 per person and then leave the restaurant hungry, then something is wrong. A pity

Excellent menu. This is my 2nd time there and the food was amazing and diverse.

Yes, the creativity and taste of the food here is unparalleled. Yes, the portions are small. But you can buy bread “à discretion” that is homemade and extremely delicious. So with 5 courses we always had enough. I've been here several times and I really like it. However, it can get a bit noisy when the restaurant is full (which is more the rule than the exception). For me one of my favorite Zurich restaurants.

Beautiful place to eat and drink. Special flavors stand out in all the dishes. I liked the marinated artichoke, Buffalo ricotta ravioli, duck and lamb. Portions are very small so I limit the rating to 4 stars as well. The place is very clean, the staff very kind.

We have been regular guests at Josef for over 12 years and have spent many great evenings there. Since the fresh up with the new chefs and the adjusted menu (and especially the adjusted prices) we have been there 2-3 times and unfortunately we have to say that we just don't like going to Josef anymore. It has to be said that the food is of very good quality. But after 5 microscopically small portions and a bill of 120 Chf (WITHOUT drinks) per person, we drank up and left the restaurant once again hungry and somehow disappointed. The service was great as always, we also like the ambience, but unfortunately for me the price/performance is no longer the same. A real shame.

Really great place for fine dining and atmosphere. Nice concept with small modular portions.

Very nice ambience and service, food is good but overpriced for the quantity and for the taste. Plus in the tasting menu they still charge you for bread and tap water is 4.50 chf!

Great food in a very hip part of town. Friendly service and a small but very creative tasting menu. Place is boisterous which makes it lively / noisy. If you don't mind that, then check it out!

Probably a very unpopular opinion but we weren’t super convinced with Josef. The food was overall very good, except the lamb which was basically raw and inedible. But the atmosphere was very crowded and we barely could talk to each other which was a pity. The best dish was by far the potatoe dish with the truffel! Cocktails were okay but not the best I’ve had in Zurich. So overall three stars for me. Which is still solid but i don’t have to go soon again.

Another hidden gem in the midst of Zurichs chaos. I was recently taken here by a friend who had been raving about for quite some time. Initially I wasn't convinced but was quickly surprised once I took a look at their menu. Quite modern, great attention to detail and magnificent cooking skills. We truly enjoyed our dinner here and would recommend it to anyone who loves food.

It's really hard to say wether Josef is an insult to a food culture in general or just a bad parody of haute cuisine. In any case this place can exist only in Zurich, where arrogant yuppies who have no idea what good food is, are willing to pay for any pretentious rubbish. It's hard to imagine that such a place would survive in Portland, San-Francisco, even Extremadura, not to speak about France. Unenthusiastically prepared, unprofessionally plated, tiny (almost microscopic) pieces of so called "5-courses Josef menu" taste, if one wants to put it nicely, of nothing. 5 translucent slices of scallops are placed on a coarsely cut raw cabbage, over-baked slices of greyish potato cover something you don't know what, and on top of everything an under-backed zimtschnecke with a tea-spoonfool of Mövenpick vanilla ice-cream. Needless to say that it's dark, so you can't really see what you eat, extremely loud and tables are so close to each other that customers almost sit on each others heads. Avoid at all costs.

Tried 8 dishes, their tofu is the winner followed by lamb and duck

Eating at Josef was a bit of a confusing experience. The place feels stuck between trying to be too many things at once. Entering the restaurant you stand at the bar section, with tall tables that were empty when we arrived at 18:00, and mostly empty when we left at 20:30 (on a Saturday evening), with just one company of older gentlemen drinking draft beer. Further in is the restaurant, where tables are crammed next to each other, with very little space to get in and out of your seat. I think what most sticks with me after our dinner there is the inconsistency. The service was nice, polite but not very engaging -which is fine as the restaurant was quite busy. But, at a place where the waiters will take your coat for you (?), why would you not also offer a fresh glass for a different kind of wine? Like, why have the person taste the pinot noir in the same glass that still has a sip of orange wine? I would much rather hang my own coat and then have the waiter bring a fresh glass to enjoy my wine. Similarly, I ordered a bird negroni which was delightful, so I ordered a second one, which tasted completely different to the first one. It looked like my previous glass may have been reused, as the ice cubes had melted to half the size from the first one, there was no lemon skin and the berries were in the cocktail instead of added as garnish at the top. It had also not been mixed properly and I could see the different colours of the drink components in the glass. No horrible crime, I could stir it myself, but why not keep it consistent? The food was also not consistently imaginative or yummy. We had the set vegi menu (87CHF per person). The bread was 4.50 per person for basically 3 slices of cold bread, which was yummy but not worth the price and should have been brought out warmed up. The roasted beetroot was flavourful, but nothing mind blowing. The potato was delightful, but it’s hard to go wrong with crispy potatoes, cream and truffle. Props however, as the potatoes were crispy to perfection and the truffle was perfectly complementary, not overpowering. I loved the homemade tofu with the mushrooms, that was imaginative and delicious -the broth was to die for. The pumpkin ravioli were mediocre, the homemade pasta were a bit rubbery and you couldn’t really taste the pumpkin, I feel like the dish was lacking some savouriness/acidity. The dessert was a Zimtschnecke, a delicious fluffy little cinnamon roll, with a vanilla ice cream scoop -quite nice, no complaints. I feel like there’s love put into the dishes, and it would be great for Josef to make a choice (draft beer bar? Fancy restaurant with creative cuisine?) and stick to it, making sure it’s done exceptionally. I would get rid of the tall bar tables, expand the restaurant fully and give more breathing room between the tables. Expand the wine selection and the cocktails -the reservation time is pretty long, but the dishes were coming out a bit slowly. A more attentive service would have probably resulted in us drinking a bit more, which should compensate for getting rid of the bar tables. For the two set vegi menus, two glasses of wine, two cocktails, bread and water we paid 270 CHF (including 10% tip). It didn’t feel so much like value for money, had it been a more all round positive experience I think we’d be more likely to return.

Great place. Food is amazing I will definitely come back!

The service was better than the chef.

Authentic Bar, always a pleasure, not only on weekends!! 😉

We ordered the menu, the courses we received were delicious, but one course was forgotten. The service was really inattentive. The atmosphere in the restaurant is very loud, a few noise-reducing measures would be pleasant. Unfortunately, we only noticed the forgotten aisle afterwards and there was no response to the email to the restaurant. All in all, not a good experience to repeat, if parts of the menu are forgotten then it's expensive.

Super cool spot with delicious food and a great bar. Service was excellent.

Lovely food and cocktails! We had the set menu, we enjoyed 3 courses very much, but sadly all of us disliked the dessert and the end of the meal was a bit of a let down. It looked good, but the taste and texture was just not nice. But hey ho, that can sometimes just happen. The mains were all perfect.

Very fine and special food :) Great wine list! Unfortunately I found it loud and expensive (or I have the feeling that the prices have risen massively since Corona...) Before Corona I would have recommended it, now I don't know...

The food was good but expensive, the seating was way too close, there was a huge amount of noise, we had to shout to understand each other and now we both have Covid!

+ good drinks (also mocktails) + central and cozy bar + Music is not too loud, you can have a good conversation + not too crowded (on a Saturday evening) - The selection of drinks could be larger (e.g. drinks with rum)

Delicious! However, the portions are tiny - so you can easily pay 80-120 francs per person (excluding drinks and dessert) until you've eaten enough. It is also very loud and rather narrow.

Wow wow wow, the best food in town! Service quick, friendly! Again and again, very happy!

Great food served as a collection of small individual plates. A good vibe, with a bit of a buzz and kitschy decor in a good way.

Very good food. A delight not only for the taste buds, but also for the eyes. The only disadvantage of the place: it is very loud!

Very good Food and very friendly Staff

Just always very nice. Very good drinks, very friendly service, perfect!

Josef is an awesome restaurant, great vibe delicious food. Instead of going for 1 main dish you select multiple small plates. The only ciritism is that you need to pay separetely for tab water and bread and quite a lot as well.

Quality was good, portions mini… 120 CHF per person with wine.

One of the best bistronomic restaurants

Food looks great! Taste 7/10... quality top! Price WAY too expensive... ultra small portions... there is more in the star restaurant! very disappointing, will definitely not come back.

Nice Szeni restaurant with outdoor seating in the middle of District 5. The service was very friendly, especially the gentleman who brought us the cocktails. The quality of the food is very good, unfortunately the portions are simply excessive compared to the prices. I don't understand why you're still hungry after a 5-course meal for 89.-. The plates cost around 22 euros individually and there is a mini stuffed zuchinni flower on the plate. It's really a shame...If you like this concept, Josef is the right place for you. Personally, I don't want to go home hungry after visiting a restaurant.

We love this restaurant. Every dish so far has been exceptional and delicious. The ambience and service were also really great. Always happy to come by.

Very tasty small dishes. Each of them is made very special. Very pricy but worthy :-)) Service is super friendly!

Casual restaurant located outside of Zurich city center-proper, the staff were friendly and helpful. Food itself, while tasty and plated nicely, the menu was quite small and more than anything very expensive for what it was. However, it also seemed to be quite popular on a Monday, catering to an older crowd. They have a dozen or so dishes that are 20+ CHF each and are served in very small portions. They recommend 3 to 4 dishes per person excluding dessert. Wouldn't recommend this from a value perspective.

Price-performance ratio is only correct to a limited extent. Portions are tiny but tasty and fresh. Service is nice, but drinks were either delivered incorrectly or not at all. Water carafe filled up twice without asking if we wanted more. If the water (from the tap, mind you) was free, that would be okay. But I think it's pure money-making and cheeky. I was there for the last time.

Nice location, a bit too loud. The service was great and the food too. Not a big fan of the cocktails though 😞

Typical District 4!! Lively, loud, yet cozy and bustling, plus tasteful and fresh modern cuisine in small standard portions. Nice cocktail selection and remarkable wine selection!

Very special and very good, I had eaten sorrel for decades and the rhubarb was so good for dessert 👍

Great restaurant in a nice atmosphere :-)

4.6 great food, imaginative and very appealing cuisine. Ravioli, guinea fowl, tempura and flank steak pasta are absolutely amazing! Chocolate cake great! Lemon tart was okay but nothing more.

One of my favorite places so far in Zurich : delicious food, friendly staff, good music, feel-good atmosphere, reasonable prices. Take the menu and be surprised by the combinations of flavours and textures. Vegie friendly.

Food really good, service really friendly. But sorry: the portions are way too small!

Auster was not nice at all, Flan steak hard and fettuccine overcooked, Poulard was tasteless… :/

We really enjoyed the food, the highlight being the flambéed sturgeon with citrus risotto, but all the other dishes were also very good. Price for the food is relatively high, but ok for Zurich. Drinks are even quite cheap (e.g. Aperol Spritz, Cola)

Overall, food is decent and the ingredients are of good quality. Maybe the food could earn 3 stars on its own, but the problem is that the execution is inconsistent and some dishes lack refinement. The pasta for example was overcooked, the steak was chewy, the cake was not the right consistency. And at the same time, the lamb was cooked beautifully and the risotto was perfectly al dente. Flavor is also hit and miss. Some dishes, such as the asparagus with raspberry vinaigrette, are just subpar, irrelevant and plain. Other dishes (particularly the fish ones) are nice, but the overall the food never reaches that higher level and simply is not good enough to warrant the price tag. Even for Zürich standards, the food is quite overpriced for the quality and quantity. The portions are tiny and yet still priced at 20-24 CHF per plate. They should either increase the portions or decrease the prices. Walking away hungry and having paid 180 CHF for 7 dishes and two drinks is disappointing. Also, the drinks were not particularly good, so I wouldn’t recommend it as a bar. The atmosphere is quite nice. Service was attentive. All in all, a decent restaurant that promises more than it manages to deliver, and charges too much doing so.

Can't understand complaints about high prices. 5 course menu with top quality and unusual creations for 84 CHF, I think that's pretty fair for Zurich. Yes, it's loud, but that's the only negative thing you could say. Otherwise everything is perfect from the service to the wine. Reservations are absolutely necessary, but can be done easily online.

Neither the service nor the food were memorable. Both were rather bland, which is a shame. But the memory from before was probably transfiguredly positive.. Not worth repeating, definitely not